Naji Marshall Downgraded To Doubtful As Dallas Mavericks Rule Out Santi Aldama, Tarik Biberović vs. Oklahoma City Thunder

DALLAS — The Dallas Mavericks downgraded Naji Marshall to doubtful with an illness on their updated injury report for Wednesday night’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Marshall was listed as questionable on Tuesday after missing Monday’s 113-109 win at the Miami Heat.

Kyrie Irving (left knee injury management) and Caleb Martin (right thumb sprain) remain questionable. Dallas ruled out Santi Aldama (right knee surgery) and Tarik Biberović (right heel bursitis), who were both doubtful on Tuesday’s report. Sergio De Larrea (right knee sprain) and Dereck Lively II (right foot surgery) were already out.

Cooper Flagg is not on the report. Two days after a left shoulder sprain kept him out against the San Antonio Spurs, he had 29 points, 6 rebounds, and 11 assists in 39:44 at Miami. Tip-off is set for 8:30 p.m. CT at American Airlines Center, and the game airs nationally on ESPN.

Naji Marshall Doubtful, Kyrie Irving Still Questionable

Marshall started Saturday’s 122-106 home loss to San Antonio and had 10 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists in 20:55. He did not return after checking out with 8:28 left in the third quarter. Two days later, the Mavericks listed him out at Miami with the illness. Through three games, he is averaging 13.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 5.7 assists.

Irving has played in three of Dallas’ four games since coming back from the torn left ACL he suffered against the Sacramento Kings on March 3, 2025. He scored 15 points in 23:45 in the opener at Houston, then had 24 points in 24:55 at Indiana before fouling out for the first time in his career.

Dallas held him out of Saturday’s home opener on the second night of a back-to-back. At Miami on Monday, Irving played 32:40 and finished with 18 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists on 7-of-17 shooting, including 2-of-11 from three-point range. Wednesday’s game is not part of a back-to-back. Saturday’s loss to San Antonio is the only home game Dallas has played so far.

Before the Oct. 23 game at Indiana, Mavericks coach Dusty May confirmed that Irving is on a minutes restriction. A day later, before Saturday’s game, May said there is a chance Irving plays both nights of a back-to-back at some point this season, though he did not want to speak for Irving.

“It was more, he’s ready to play at Indiana,” May said. “Let’s play that, and let’s not make any decisions in advance. Let’s just take this one day at a time and plan accordingly. But it was several conversations, and there wasn’t one thing that tilted it one way or the other.”

Martin has not played this season. He was out Saturday, and Dallas’ first report for Monday listed him out before moving him to doubtful. He was questionable on Tuesday’s report and is questionable again on Wednesday’s.

Santi Aldama And Tarik Biberović Ruled Out Against Oklahoma City Thunder

On Tuesday, Aldama practiced with the Texas Legends as part of his return-to-play protocol, and Dallas recalled him from the G League affiliate after the session. He has not played since an arthroscopic procedure on his right knee on March 17, when he was still with the Memphis Grizzlies. Memphis traded him to Dallas on July 8.

Biberović, a rookie who signed with Dallas on July 10, has not appeared in a regular-season game either. May opened his availability before Saturday’s home opener with the injury report, starting with Flagg’s MRI and ending with Lively’s rehab.

“Coop had an MRI performed. He has a left shoulder sprain,” May explained. “Kyrie will be out tonight with injury management, with it being the second night of a back-to-back. Caleb Martin is still out with a sprained thumb. Jett Howard has improved his calf. He’ll be a game-time decision. Tarik will be out for the same lower leg injury.”

“Santi’s making progress, but he’ll still be out,” May continued. “Morez will be on a minute restriction, but he is available at a limited amount. And D-Live has the same status. He’s just continuing his rehab process.”

Aldama sat out all four preseason games and has missed all four regular-season games. Over 43 games with Memphis last season, 11 of them starts, he averaged 14.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 2.9 assists in 27.9 minutes. Lively had season-ending surgery on his right foot in December after appearing in seven games in 2025-26.

De Larrea was hurt early in the second quarter Monday when he took a hard fall trying to catch an inbound pass. He finished scoreless in 5:40, and the Mavericks ruled him out against Oklahoma City on Tuesday without a timeline for his return. Two days before the injury, De Larrea had 21 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists in 33 minutes against San Antonio.

Oklahoma City is 4-0 after beating the LA Clippers 108-101 on Sunday and the Phoenix Suns 125-114 on Monday. On Tuesday’s report, the Thunder ruled out six players, including Chet Holmgren (right knee patellar tendinitis), Jalen Williams (left ankle fracture), Cason Wallace (left shoulder labral tear), and Alex Caruso (right ankle sprain). Ajay Mitchell was listed as questionable with a right ankle sprain after scoring a career-high 30 points against Phoenix.

The Thunder won all three meetings with Dallas last season, most recently 100-87 on March 1. After Wednesday, the Mavericks host the Houston Rockets on Friday at 7 p.m. CT and Sacramento on Monday at 7 p.m. CT.